10 Useful Features Hidden in the Galaxy Note 4

The fourth edition of the Galaxy Note series, made by Samsung Electronics and equipped with a large display and the S Pen, the Galaxy Note 4 has jumped into the global market, starting with the Korean market.

 

The Galaxy Note series had been enormously popular with its cutting-edge specifications every time the newest edition was launched. Now the Galaxy Note 4 is expected to continue the success of its previous versions, being complimented ‘better than ever’ by major media outlets like the New York Times.   

 

From the moment it was launched, many powerful features of the Galaxy Note 4 have been garnering attention, such as the luxurious design that well suits the metal frame, the S Pen that provides a delicate user experience with the pen pressure twice better than the previous models, the front and rear camera that is next to none compared to other large-display smartphones, excellent battery capacity with Fast Charging feature.

   

However, apart from these splendid features, there are many useful features that are not as well-known, in the Galaxy Note 4.

 

The following are the 10 useful features hidden in the Galaxy Note 4.

1. Link Preview

 

The Galaxy Note 4 enables the user to view the URL link received via SMS or messengers in advance using the S Pen without opening a web browser.

 

Activate [Settings] - [S Pen] - [Air View] and move the S Pen close to the URL link, and the user will be able to see the major contents provided by the URL in a pop-up window. The user can save time since he or she does not have to open it in a web browser, and also is advantageous in that it summarizes the contents, excluding unnecessary ones such as advertisements.

[① Receiving URL links]   [Full view of the URL link preview]   [② Hover the S Pen close to the link]   [③ Content of the link previews on a pop-up]

2. Simple way of adding schedules by handwriting

 

Many people manage their schedule through smartphone nowadays. However, it actually is not the easiest to input every information such as time, venue, and contents, respectively, into the schedule planning apps loaded on the smartphone; with a keypad on the smartphone, the process is quite more complicated.

 

With the schedule planning application, S Planner, installed on the Galaxy Note 4, users can simply enter a schedule by handwriting with the S Pen.

 

Activate the feature at   [Settings] - [S Pen] - [Direct Pen Input]. Then, open the S Planner, and long-press the date with the S Pen. A pop-up window will show. If the user writes “19:00-21:00 meeting @ IT centre” with the S Pen, the smartphone automatically recognizes the time, venue and contents and registers the schedule.

   

                                            ▲Quick add schedule by handwriting

3. Who said what at the meeting? - Voice Recorder, Meeting Mode

 

Sometimes you can’t remember which comments were made by whom after an important meeting. The Meeting Mode for voice recording can be useful in this kind of situation.

 

With the Meeting Mode, the smartphone distinguishes sounds coming from up to 8 directions when recording, and indicates which sound comes from which direction when the recorded file is played back.

 

In particular, when the user wishes to, he or she can play back only the voices coming from certain directions by selecting them.

 

▲Using the Voice Recorder Meeting Mode

▲Voice Recorder Meeting Mode screen

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4. An easy step towards a better small talk, the caller information display feature!

 

When you receive call from someone, sometimes you want to know what the person has been up to lately or about what and when the conversation was made between you and the person. With the Galaxy Note 4, you can check information about the relevant information about the person when you are receiving a call from, or making a call to, or even during a call.

 

Go to the dial app and check to able [Settings] - [Calls] - [Show Caller Information] , and  it will show the person’s recent activities uploaded on his or her SNS or contact history with the user in the form of card view to help the user continue small talk.

 

▲Caller Information shown screen

5. A camera that can automatically adjust the exposure as well as focus 

 

The rear camera of the Galaxy Note 4 can automatically adjust the exposure. When the user long-presses the spot on the screen that he or she wants, the camera applies the Auto-focus (AF) and Auto-Exposure (AE) functions centering on the spot.

 

In particular, the AE adjustment feature was equipped on the Galaxy Note 4 for the first time, contributing greatly to the camera on the Galaxy Note 4 for displaying more vivid details.  

    

▲Application of the AF/AE adjustment

6. Take an anti-shake selfie using the HRM sensor

 

There is another useful hidden feature to the Galaxy Note 4 camera: taking a selfie with an HRM sensor. When taking a selfie or a wide selfie using the front camera, the user can simply touch the HRM sensor on the back of the Note 4 after the camera recognizes the face, to take a picture.

 

Since this process does not require the user to push a button or touch controller on the screen, it reduces shaking and is simple as well. So, always remember using the HRM sensor when taking a selfie going forward.

▲Taking a selfie using the HRM sensor

7. ‘Sound Detector’ feature that recognizes and notifies doorbells 

 

The ‘Sound Detector’ is one of the Galaxy Note 4’s accessibility functions that is useful when you listen to music through earphones at home or for people with hearing disability.

 

It is a function that notifies the user through vibration or eye-catching light after identifying doorbell sounds or baby cries. For the doorbell sound, the user records and saves the doorbell beforehand, and the smartphone notifies the user when the relevant doorbell sound is heard.    

 

This function is more useful in that, not only through the Galaxy Note 4, but the user can receive notifications through the wearable, Samsung Gear devices, when paired with the Note 4.

 

▲Recording doorbell sound

▲Doorbell detected

 

8. Place frequently-used “Settings” at “Quick Settings”

 

Since a smartphone has a variety of features, many of its settings can be adjusted to the user’s preference. However, a user is likely to have frequently-used settings according to his or her needs. In the Galaxy Note 4, users can set these settings separately to be able to change them more rapidly and conveniently.

 

Go to [Settings] and push the (+) button to designate up to 9 items in the [Quick Settings].

 

▲Adding items in the Quick Settings

9. Wi-Fi sharing

 

Many of the users must have had the inconvenient experience of asking for the password for the Wi-Fi or typing in a long series of password while trying to connect to someone else’s Wi-Fi. 

 

The Galaxy Note 4 provides a feature that allows the device to connect to another device that is connected to Wi-Fi without having to type in the password.

A user with a Galaxy Note 4 that is connected to Wi-Fi opens [Quick Connect] by swiping down the Notification panel from the top edge of the screen, finds the device that needs to be sharing the Wi-Fi with, and selects ‘Share Wi-Fi’ to share the Wi-Fi network. However, be aware that the function is only featured between Galaxy Note 4 devices.

① Select the device to be connected and Wi-Fi	② Select Wi-Fi to allow shared connection		③ Set permission time
④ Send Wi-Fi share acceptance message		⑤ Screen shown on the device to be connected

10. Operating the Note 4 freely with one hand

Since the Galaxy Note 4 is a large 5.7-inch display smartphone, there could be times when the user needs to make the screen smaller to the side. The ‘One-handed Operation’ is a feature that is useful for the occasions.

Activate the feature at [Settings] - [Display and wallpaper] - [One-handed Operation] - [Reduce Screen Size], quickly drag the thumb from the edge of the screen to the center of the screen and back, and the whole screen of the Note 4 will be downsized.

Once the screen size is reduced, it can then be adjusted to the size that suits the user to be able to operate the Galaxy Note 4 easily with one hand.

    

▲One-handed Operation screen